<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Is that really it? by inurclosets</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24508702">Is that really it?</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/inurclosets/pseuds/inurclosets'>inurclosets</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Compilation of Final Fantasy VII</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alcohol, Character Study, Fluid Sexuality, Gen, Mild Spoilers For FF7, Past Relationship(s), Relationship Discussions</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 08:20:11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,987</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24508702</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/inurclosets/pseuds/inurclosets</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Biggs has been trying to get to know Cloud but hasn't really had many opportunities for such. Every time he does, it always seems like someone else is there to get in the way. This time is no different but maybe he'll have the opportunity to glimpse and learn the inner workings of Cloud Strife even with Barret itching to pick a fight.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Biggs &amp; Barret Wallace, Biggs &amp; Cloud Strife, Cloud Strife &amp; Barret Wallace</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>66</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Is that really it?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“So you and Tifa…” Barret regarded Cloud with his usual tone of interrogation while he swirled a glass of whiskey on the rocks in his hand, “Know each other obviously. You two childhood friends or something?”</p><p>“Something like that,” Cloud responded, not coldly but not kindly either. It was the sort of reply that implied a barbed wire fence. You could see some of the inner workings and details but overall gave the impression that entry was not permitted.</p><p>Still, Barret had a fond disregardment for any form of authority, even if that authority was over sharing the details of one’s own life. Biggs sighed, shaking his head as he was certain he’d be stuck bearing witness to the two butting heads and arguing soon enough, regardless of the relaxed atmosphere of the bar up until now.</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah?” Barret’s voice was challenging, “Grew up in the same town together?”</p><p>Cloud’s tone suggested wasn’t having any of it. He took a long sip of his drink before responding, “...Yep.” The P provided a specific annoyed punch to the very short reply.</p><p>Barret gave a disgruntled noise. Biggs really wasn’t enthusiastic about the idea of playing babysitter to these two when Wedge, Jessie, and Tifa took their leave to get ingredients for dinner with Marlene. He was sort of disappointed Barret had insisted on staying. Too suspicious of the new guy, it seemed. Biggs was hoping he’d finally get the opportunity to talk with Cloud one on one, give him a few pointers and achieve the same outcome of information gathering Barret was hoping to gain without the same grating nature to the process.</p><p> </p><p><em> Like a referee in a wrestling match, </em> Biggs sighed. He really didn’t want to get caught in the middle of these two if they started going at it. Stubbornly, Biggs interjected instead, “So what brought you into Midgar, Cloud? Did you know Tifa was here?”</p><p>“Uh-...” Cloud seemed caught off guard by the question, a vacant look in his eyes as his mind turned over the question. It was looks like that which worried Biggs the most. It wasn’t the first time he noticed it either and he was fairly certain it wouldn’t be the last. It brought out that parental side of him, the same feeling he got when he volunteered at the orphanage which prompted Biggs to drink in hopes of swallowing that overly parental type concern for the young independent man seated beside him.</p><p>Barret always took those hesitations as a signal for distrust. Like Cloud was purposely was leading him astray despite aiding them multiple times now. Biggs no longer had any suspicion about Cloud's motives, figuring it served a more desperate purpose than one for the gain of the company they were going against. Biggs was itching to figure out the puzzle that was Cloud Strife, but the information pertaining to that mystery seemed to come out in short secluded bursts. </p><p> </p><p>"You don't even know?" Barret challenged. </p><p>Cloud winced, "Of course I do, it just…. Seemed like the best place to get steady work." </p><p>Biggs put a hand out deterring Barret from laying into Cloud too hard, "Hey come on, now isn't the time for that." He gave Cloud a sympathetic smile, "You understand he's just looking out for our best interests, right? Barret's pretty bad at it but that's his way of trying to get to know you better and to be fair… So am I." </p><p>Cloud gave a small, "Hmph" before taking more of his drink. Biggs offered to top him up since Cloud didn't look very relaxed yet, which was fair with Barret looking tense as ever himself. Biggs counted his blessings for not being slugged by Barret for the comment but he was right and Barret seemed to acknowledge that too but relenting a bit with the intensive interrogation. Having Cloud seated between them probably helped with that fact a bit more though if Biggs had to be honest. </p><p>He sighed, taking more of his own drink himself as he picked apart a question that wouldn't encourage a fight or push Cloud out of his very closed comfort zone. </p><p>"Jessie still laying into you?" he settled on asking instead which warranted a snort from the blond.</p><p>Cloud looked at his drink before taking another sip, "She do that to everyone?" </p><p>"Not everyone," Biggs assured him, "But she definitely gave Wedge and I a run for our money." </p><p>Barret raised an eyebrow, "You mean she's already propositioning Cloud?" </p><p>"From day one," Biggs nodded, "But it's nothing to worry yourself over."He paused turning the conversation back over to Cloud, "Think you'll take her up on the offer?" </p><p>Cloud frowned, "Not really my type." </p><p>Biggs couldn't help but laugh, Cloud gave all the signs Biggs saw in the kids he dealt with regularly. A narrow understanding of the world and yet knew so much more about the world than anyone their age should have to experience. </p><p>"What is your type then?" Biggs dared to ask since Cloud seemed to be opening up a little. </p><p>"Dunno," Cloud murmured, staring down at his hands around his glass. </p><p>Barret interjected, "Mines anyone with a heart of gold and a good head on their shoulders! Not that I'm looking. I got Marlene to take care of." </p><p>Biggs gave Barret an earnest look of surprise, "Think you'll ever get back into the dating pool?" </p><p>Barret shrugged, "That ain't my prerogative. If someone comes into the picture and something comes about? So be it! But my plate is full." </p><p>Biggs nodded thoughtfully, deciding it might help Cloud open up as he learned more about both of them in turn, "Fair. I'm not really looking for a relationship right now either. I mean, I did date Jessie for a bit thinking she wanted more than she did, but I came to learn a lot more about myself than I thought I would from that." </p><p>"What do you mean?" Cloud asked softly. </p><p>Biggs smiled, sitting back as he recalled the experience, "Well, I still wasn't sure what I wanted out of a relationship. I had dated plenty before that but never dated anyone quite like Jessie up until that point. She has a peculiar way of going about things. A very honeymoon romance where it was like all the stops are pulled out in the first week and when she decides her fascination with you has run its course, she drops you like a rock. It feels a bit like a marathon by the end."</p><p>Barret gave Biggs a look," Am I gonna have to speak with her? "</p><p>Biggs shook his head," She's harmless. Mostly. So long as you don't get too invested or fall for her theatrics. Wedge fell a bit harder than myself in that regard. It was painful to watch."</p><p>"What changed for you afterwards?" Cloud prompted. </p><p>"Oh," Biggs tried to contextualize that, "Uh.. I guess I realized that women weren't exactly where my interests lie entirely. I can appreciate them aesthetically but uh… Jessie is a bit more sexually experienced, I guess you could say."</p><p>"Wait, you saying what I think you're saying?" Barret interjected. </p><p>Biggs nodded, "Yup. Jessie has a surprising collection of porn." </p><p>Cloud choked on his drink, as if he hadn't been expecting that to be Biggs concluding statement.</p><p>Barret shook his head, "That woman…" </p><p>Cloud looked at Biggs with an ashamed naivete, the expression asking more than his words could ever hope to. Biggs set a hand on his shoulder, "Take it at your own pace, okay? Jumping straight into the deep end isn't the only option."</p><p>Cloud's cheeks went red hot as he broke off his stare from Biggs, acting more like a naive kid than he probably had the intention to, "I'm not worried about that." </p><p>"Hold on, so what is your type then?" Barret interjected to ask Biggs. </p><p>Biggs cheeks went hot, "Well… I thought the earring made it pretty obvious." </p><p>Barret stared at him blankly from behind his sunglasses. </p><p>"... I like men," Biggs clarified, shrugging slightly, "I don't discount women, I've dated a lot of women but… Men are hot!"</p><p>Barret removed his sunglasses and set them down, "Seriously?" </p><p>"You never thought about it?" Biggs asked, giving Barret a teasing smirk. </p><p>Barret fumbled with his words as he definitely was not prepared for that question, "I uh…" He took a quick sip of his drink. <em> Blushing? </em> Biggs never thought he'd see the day. "I might've been married once. Open relationship. Me, my wife, my best friend and his partner…" </p><p>Cloud looked at Barret with surprise, "... You had a wife?" </p><p>"What the hell is that supposed to mean?! 'Course I had a wife!!" Barret huffed, "But uh-- I ain't foreign to laying with a man either… Women are soft and elegant but sometimes it's nice to get someone who gets it, y'know?" </p><p>Biggs nodded in agreement raising his glass to that before taking it back. </p><p>Cloud has been incredibly quiet the entire time and when Biggs glanced over at him, Cloud had a thoughtful expression on his face as he stared into his glass.</p><p>"What about you, Cloud? You mentioned Jesse isn't really your type, but is there someone that is out comes close?" </p><p>"I… Don't know," Cloud frowned, "... Sometimes I think that maybe I like Tifa but then other times I'm not so sure. I want to be a good friend to her… I want to…" he sighed, closing his eyes in defeat, "...Sometimes I feel like I'm forgetting something. Makes it difficult to consider having a relationship at all…"</p><p>Biggs gave Cloud a reassuring pat on the back, "Yeah, I get that. I'm guessing active duty probably doesn't help with that much." </p><p>Cloud gave a flicker of a smile with eyes miles away, "Yeah…"</p><p> </p><p>Barret had relaxed, Biggs noticed with the way his shoulders no longer held their usual tension. With Barret's eyes fully visible, it was entirely obvious that he was feeling sentimental and not nearly as on guard. Barret rubbed the back of his head and sighed, "You still young. You got time to figure all that shit out. Ain't no point in rushing it." </p><p>"Yeah," Cloud agreed simply before glancing over at Barret. There was a shift in tension. What had been hostile before was subdued and transformed into something else. Biggs found himself holding his breath for a moment before Cloud smirked suddenly and let out a "Hmph" before returning to his drink. Whatever it was that had crossed Cloud's mind seemed enough to rile Barret right back up again, "The hell is that supposed to mean!?"</p><p>"Nothing," Cloud concluded, though that seemed to fuel more antagonistic intent from Barret. </p><p>"<em> Nothing </em> my ass!!" </p><p>"We're back!" Tifa called out as the bar door swung open, "Hope you three didn't get up to any trouble while we were gone!"</p><p>“No ma’am,” Biggs replied automatically, “Though these two were close at times.”</p><p>Tifa sighed, shaking her head at the two of them, “How am I ever gonna leave you two alone?”<br/>“Daddy, daddy!” Marlene bounded towards Barret excitedly, “You won’t guess what we picked up!” <br/>Barret chuckled, turning to Marlene and lifting her up onto his lap, “Oh yeah? Want me to guess anyways?”</p><p>She nodded, beaming up at him as Barret began listing off different items they might have possibly purchased in a playful sort of game with Marlene.</p><p>Biggs smirked, shaking his head as he returned to his drink just in time to hear Cloud utter a soft, “Thanks.” When he glanced over the spikey blond was nursing his drink to completion and looking straight ahead which encouraged Biggs to give him a reassuring pat on the shoulder.</p><p>“Hey, that’s what friends are for, right? If you ever need to talk…”<br/>“I don’t,” Cloud replied sharply, then glanced at him with a small playful smile that quickly faded but the essence remained. <br/>Biggs grinned back before allowing Cloud his privacy.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Initially this was supposed to be written from Barret's perspective and I still might write a sequel or spiritual successor of this piece that focuses more on him and his relationship with Spoilers?? which is only vaguely hinted at here, much like Cloud's questioning of his own sexuality as well. Both are aspects I'd like to explore more but writing a piece from Biggs' perspective was genuinely really fun and I hope to explore more of his character as well in future works!</p></blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>